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‘One of the best cover letters’ goes viral

Would you use the word “crap” in a cover letter? Would you tell the person to whom you’re writing that you “have no unbelievably special skills”?

They’re risky moves, but they’re paying off for an aspiring Wall Street banker.

The young man wrote a cover letter to a boutique Wall Street firm explaining in a frank manner why the recipient should give him an internship this summer.

Someone shared the letter with Business Insider, which heralded it as “perfectly blunt” and reported “tons of people are trying to hire him.”

Here’s a key excerpt from the letter:

“I am writing you to inquire about a possible summer internship in your office. I am aware it is highly unusual for undergraduates from average universities like … to intern at … , but nevertheless I was hoping you might make an exception. I am extremely interested in investment banking and would love nothing more than to learn under your tutelage. I have no qualms about fetching coffee, shining shoes or picking up laundry, and will work for next to nothing. In all honesty, I just want to be around professionals in the industry and gain as much knowledge as possible.

“I won’t waste your time inflating my credentials, throwing around exaggerated job titles, or feeding you a line of crapp [sic] about how my past experiences and skill set align perfectly for an investment banking internship. The truth is I have no unbelievably specials skills or genius eccentricities, but I do have a near perfect GPA and will work hard for you …”